EU Commissioner: 2015 will be decisive for Armenian-EU relations (video)
Armenian-EU negotiations will start when the EU ‘gives the mandate to its negotiating team, says Armenian Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian. He already sees prerequisites for negotiations and says the mandate will soon be issued. “Two years ago during a summit in Vilnius, we decided to continue cooperation in areas that would not impede Armenia’s integration in other areas. I am speaking about the Visa Facilitation and Readmission Agreements that entered into force in January 2014,” said the minister. The next round of negotiations concerns the full liberalization of the visa regime with the EU countries. EU Commissioner for European Neighborhood Policy and Enlargement Johannes Hahn says 2015 will be decisive for EU-Armenia relations. “These relations are fixed by mutual agreements and efforts to strengthen them to the deepest extent possible,” he said. Johannes Hahn then hinted at Armenia’s accession to the Eurasian Economic Union. However, he hopes that the EU and Armenia will sign a new agreement after governments of the 28 EU countries release the negotiating directives (the mandate) for the process. “The agreement will honour Armenia’s obligations under other integration processes,” he stressed. In reply to a journalist’s question how they imagine future cooperation with Armenia and its integration into the EU programs after the country’s membership to the EEU, Mr Hans said ‘they are negotiating to understand it.’ The EU official also said they support the efforts of the OSCE Minsk Group to find a peaceful solution to the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict since the status quo is unacceptable for the EU. In his turn, Armenian Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian referred to his Turkish counterpart’s statement that Armenia needs to review and change its foreign policy since the country has problems will almost all neighbours. “” “Before giving advice and lessons to others, one had better think that he may need these lessons and advice himself. As for the Karabakh issue, If Turkey really wants to help resolve the conflict, it should stay away from the process,” said Mr Nalbandian.
